This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus for a liquid container such as a milk carton or bottle of a beverage. More specifically it relates to an apparatus for cooling and keeping cool an individual container or package of a drink or liquid coffee creamer, which is not portable, but is to be used in the home, office, or workplace. The device has a feature for dispensing liquid without removing the liquid package from the device. The refrigeration may be supplied by thermoelectric, absorption, compression-expansion, or other methods.
An appropriate beverage or liquid dairy product used with the device is normally refrigerated to either preserve the product from spoiling or because the beverage is preferably consumed cold. It is normally cooled and stored in a refrigerator. However, a refrigerator is not always available close to where the liquid is used due to high cost or space limitations. Considering specifically a liquid creamer for coffee, many coffee makers exist far away from a refrigerator. In this case, a non-dairy powered creamer is frequently used, which does not require refrigeration. A great many people prefer to have a liquid dairy creamer, milk, cream or half and half, but do not have a refrigerator available close to the coffee maker. There is an need for a device that would take a minimum amount of space and provide conditions suitable to preserve dairy products. In the home, a coffee maker may be on a counter that is not directly adjacent to the refrigerator. In this case, a person must go through the following steps: 1. walk from the coffee maker to the refrigerator, 2. open the refrigerator door, 3. remove the creamer container, 4. close the refrigerator door, 5. carry the creamer back to the cup of coffee on the counter, 6. open the creamer container, 7. pour the creamer in the coffee, 8. close the creamer container, 9. carry the creamer back to the refrigerator, 10. open the refrigerator door, 11. place the creamer back into the refrigerator, and, 12. close the refrigerator door. A device that would keep creamer cold, which could be placed directly next to the coffee maker, and which could directly dispense the creamer, would eliminate 9 of the 12 steps recited, saving time, money, and aggravation.
Similar steps are needed to pour any beverage that is refrigerated, including soda pop, fruit or vegetable juice, etc., and this device would likewise save time, money, and aggravation in dispensing these beverages. Soda pop in the device could be poured by children without the need to open the refrigerator, or it could be left outside or wherever it could be plugged into an electrical outlet with household current. A small refrigerated device would also have use in refrigerating and storing any item normally stored in a refrigerator that is used at some distance from a refrigerator or that is left out of the refrigerator for a protracted length of time during its use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,891,949 relates to a device for the storage and dispensing of diary creamers and other perishable items involving the use of thermoelectric cooling modules. The patent describes a removable container into which are placed a multitude of small coffee creamers. The removable container is refrigerated using thermoelectric. The device is designed specifically for dispensing individual creamers, wherein a person using this device removes an optional not fixedly attached shroud, and reaches into a vessel to remove creamers, which are then opened outside the device, are poured into a cup of coffee, and the small containers are discarded. In particular, a removable container means having an open end in which creamers are placed is claimed. The current invention, which will be described in detail, does not have a removable container into which creamers are placed, and would not be suitable for the purpose described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,891,949.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,258, Drinking Container, relates to an apparatus for storing and dispensing food products, and more particularly to one which can be used in vehicles such as cars, trucks, or boats. This patent claims a drinking container for use in a automotive vehicle, having a cup insert removably detachable from an insulating shell, the shell having a cylindrical side wall, and the drinking container facilitating the drinking directly therefrom, of a beverage. The current invention has no removable cup insert and does not facilitate the drinking of a beverage directly therefrom. In the current invention the beverage is poured from the device into a drinking cup or glass.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,479, Thermoelectric Device for Heating or Cooling Food and Drink Containers, relates to thermoelectric apparatus for heating or cooling food and drink containers in locations where conventional cooking and refrigerating apparatus are unavailable, e.g. in motor vehicles, offices, and hotel rooms, where standard household AC current is not available. The apparatus is for heating as well as cooling, for substantially cylindrical containers only. It has a heat transfer member of low heat storage capacity having a concave side facing a compartment structured to envelope part of a circumference of a container. A switch for selecting the direction of current flow, and means for tightening together a container and the heat transfer member are necessary elements of this heating or cooling device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,262, Thermoelectric Jug Cooler and Control Circuit, relates to thermoelectric cooling devices for liquid containing vessels. The patent describes cooling liquid that is placed directly into the device, of which a container is a part, and it is not directed to a cooler for individual containers of liquid. It comprises holes in the supporting means, an elongated duct within the device, and first, second, and third circuit means for controlling temperatures. This Jug Cooler serves a different purpose and has different elements from the current invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,567, Thermoelectric-Vacuum Shipping Container, serves a different purpose than the current invention. It relates to a storage container that maintains a temperature within tight parameters and utilizes a vacuum insulated container and thermoelectric principles for controlling temperature. The current invention uses far fewer elements, and does not provide for reversing heat flow. The vacuum insulated space of the current invention is applied by itself and not in thermal series with a second insulating material and additional layer as in the subject shipping container. Eight distinct elements comprise the shipping container. The current invention requires fewer elements, and is not suited for a use as a shipping container. U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,567 is incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,310,953, Portable Refrigerator for Beverage Containers and the Like, relates to a portable apparatus for refrigerating a beverage container, more particularly it relates to a close fitting receptacle for a multi-serving beverage container and a miniature refrigerating means, and is incorporated by reference. The casing in this device has low thermal conductivity. Also recited is a lower compartment enclosing a refrigerating unit. This device was designed to: 1. cool containers which are with drawn from the device and then opened and used; 2. to be portable; and 3. to hold discrete, individual servings. A stated objective of the device is that it is inexpensive to construct and manufacture. It will become apparent that the current invention is substantially lower in cost to manufacture, is higher in efficiency of operation, and occupies less space. The Portable Refrigerator has a heat dissipating unit which is under and on the interior of the device, which necessitates having inlet air and exhaust air means. The placement of the metal plate and heat sink in close proximity to and below the cold side of the thermoelectric unit decreases the overall efficiency of this device.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,991,628 relates to refrigerating apparatus particularly to portable thermoelectric apparatus for heating or cooling and is incorporated by reference. The current invention is not designed to be portable or to heat. Other differences in the current invention is that means for accomplishing certain functions are new, yielding economies in cost and efficiency.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,368,359 relates to a heat dissipating apparatus for a thermoelectric type water cooler and is incoporated by reference. Although the current invention is not a water cooler, the heat dissipation apparatus described may be useful in combination with the current invention. U.S. Pat. No. 4,320,626, by Donnelly, "Portable Beverage Chiller/Warmer" relates to a large picnic cooler of the type which has a large screw off top and a bottom spout to dispense the liquid. Donnelly's invention is a thermoelectric unit for heating or cooling a liquid in the container by having the thermoelectric unit in the screw off lid which has an element extending from the lid into the liquid. The instant invention is different in that it does not cool liquid, but a package of liquid, and also is not portable. Donnelly's device is not suitable to cool a package of liquid.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,508 by Kahl et al, "Thermoelectric Portable Container", describes a thermoelectric picnic basket in which the thermoelectric unit can be removed and positioned in different locations on the basket, and can be used in a heating or cooling mode. The present invention is not portable, has a fixed thermoelectric unit, and is not made for heating. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,947,150 by Roeder, Jr. "Refrigerating Apparatus Having Improved Heat Transferring Means" relates to a thermocouple panel in which the hot and cold junctions have their heat transferred to a remote area by means of a refrigerant. The present invention contemplates, in one embodiment, using heat pipe technology on the hot side only to increase heat dissipation. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,438,214 by Schmittle "Thermoelectric Temperature Control System" relates to an automatic control system for a thermoelectric temperature conditioning device having a thermostat which senses the temperature and control means to keep the temperature at a set point. The present invention has no thermostat to keep a pre set temperature. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,100,969 by T. M. Elfving, "Thermoelectric Refrigeration", shows thermoelectric modules in series with the facing surfaces of the 2 or more modules being thermally connected by hollow members filled with a fluid. The terminal heat absorbing and heat rejecting elements are also connected to the thermoelectric module by hollow members filled with a fluid. The amounts of fluid in each member must be balanced to obtain good heat transfer. The device is for use in refrigerators or freezers. Elfving teaches the use of two modules, with heat pipe type thermal contacts in between and on all sides of the thermoelectric module. The present invention, in one embodiment, uses a heat pipe to remove heat from the hot side only of a thermoelectric module. There is no reference in Elfring to a cooler for an individual package of liquid.
The following prior art U.S. Patents are less relevant to the present invention, but do describe some aspects of elements used in the current invention.